Cozy Butternut, Sweet Potato, and Red Lentil Stew

November 23, 2016Angela (Oh She Glows)

by Angela (Oh She Glows) on November 23, 2016

After my ambitious triple-blog-post week just after Arlo was born, I lost the motivation to write. I even had a few recipes and photos uploaded to my drafts folder, but I just couldn’t write the actual posts.

Knowing how fast this time goes by, I yearned to simply be present. I slowed down, which felt absolutely amazing. I worked when the inspiration was there and didn’t when it wasn’t. I soaked up our sweet baby boy. I savoured the confidence and ease of being a second-time mom (what a difference). A rollercoaster of hormones hit me early on, and I struggled with the blues on and off. I nursed and pumped and nursed some more. Eric and I mumbled incoherent words, back and forth, in the middle of the night (why is it so impossible to string words together at 3am?). I kissed Arlo’s head, cheeks, and feet a million and one times, and it has yet to feel like enough. I don’t think it ever will.

We witnessed Adriana transform into a little girl right before our very eyes. One night as I rocked her at bedtime—with her long legs falling off the side of the rocker, my arms burning under the weight of her body, and her bossy words instructing me what songs to sing and not to sing (“NO thank you, MOMMY!”)—it struck me that I was not cradling a baby anymore. I fought back tears. It had been a while since I rocked her, as my 3rd trimester bump had gotten in the way. Now she was basically a teenager disguised as a two-year-old.

Our basement renovation is almost wrapped up, so we’ve taken up dancing, the four of us, in the unfurnished rooms while listening to Christmas music. Adriana clutches her baby doll in her arms, just like I do with Arlo. We also play hide and seek. Often, the basement fun abruptly ends in tears as Adriana has a penchant for running into walls. Ouch. Boo-boos are kissed, and we explain, once again, why it’s a bit too soon for her to pick up her baby brother. So she hovers about an inch over his face, just trembling with excitement, sneaking in kisses. “He’s looking at you!” she yells with delight as he stares into her eyes.

I never want to forget these moments.

Even though I haven’t been writing as much, I’ve been cooking every chance that I get. A couple months ago, Pulse Canada contacted me about partnering with them to develop and share a recipe in celebration of the International Year of Pulses. If you can believe it, I’ve never created a sponsored recipe; most offers I’ve received didn’t feel like authentic reflections of me and the Oh She Glows brand. But pulses…well, I didn’t have to think twice. Peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas? You know I’m down with that. As I’ve shared on the blog before, Canada is one of the world’s leading producers of pulses (in fact, we’re the #1 producer of peas and lentils, which I think is super cool). There are a whopping 22,000 pulse farmers in Canada (high fives), and our pulses are consumed in over 150 countries. (“Our pulses”? Okay, now I’m talking like I grew them myself or something!) On a personal level, I eat pulses every single day, and I adore their flavour and versatility. Red Lentil Hummus, Chickpea Pancakes, No Bake Chickpea Cookie Dough Bars (a recipe I never got around to finalizing!), Lentil-Walnut Taco “meat”…the sky’s the limit with what you can create!

Aside from being super nutritious and easy on the wallet, pulses are friendly to the environment, too. Their carbon footprint is lower than almost any other food group.

Pulse Canada has created the “Pulse Pledge” encouraging people to commit to eating pulses once a week for 10 weeks and reduce their carbon footprint all at the same time. It’s totally free, and you can sign up with me here. (Spoiler alert: I’m killing it, lol.)

A big thanks to Pulse Canada for sponsoring this post. I’m delighted to finally share my newest pulse-based stew recipe with you below!

Lastly, I’m thrilled to let you know that Oh She Glows Every Day has made it to the final round in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Thank you so much to everyone who has voted and helped to get the book this far! Voting for the final round is open through November 27th; if you’re game to cast one more virtual ballot (or maybe your first!), I would appreciate the support more than I can say. :)

5 from 141 reviews

Cozy Butternut, Sweet Potato, and Red Lentil Stew

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

Butternut squash, red lentils, and sweet potato are wrapped in a lightly sweet and creamy coconut and tomato broth accented with spicy notes of turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and garlic. Apple cider vinegar provides a tangy brightness to bring everything together. This stew tastes better the next day once the flavours have had a chance to mingle; if you can make it the day before serving, I’d highly recommend it! This recipe was created for Pulse Canada, and was inspired by Deliciously Ella.

Yield11 cups (2.75 quarts)

Prep time20 Minutes

Cook time30 Minutes

Total time50 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the stew:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups/280 g)

3 to 4 large garlic cloves, minced

3 cups (400 g) peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash*

1 large sweet potato (450 g), peeled and diced (2 1/2 cups/340 g)*

3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth

1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes

1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can light coconut milk

1/2 cup (100 g) dried red lentils, rinsed**

3 tablespoons (45 mL) tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if you like heat

Fine sea salt, to taste (I use 1 1/2 teaspoons pink salt)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 teaspoons (15 mL) apple cider vinegar, or to taste

1 bunch chard, stemmed and finely chopped***

Optional accompaniments:

Fresh cilantro or parsley, minced

Cooked rice

Garlic powder and chili powder

Directions:

To a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.

Add the squash and sweet potato and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and continue sautéing for a few minutes longer.

Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), coconut milk, lentils, tomato paste, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. (If you are spice-shy, feel free to add half the amount to start and increase from there after cooking, to taste.) Stir well to combine.

Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, stir again, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash and potato are fork-tender. Reduce the heat if necessary.

Add the apple cider vinegar to taste. Adjust the other seasonings if desired.

Optional step: Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the stew for only 2 to 3 seconds (any more and you’ll blend too much of the veggies). This thickens the broth.

Stir in the chard, and cook for another couple minutes until the greens are wilted.

Scoop some cooked rice onto the bottom of a bowl and then ladle the stew overtop. Garnish with minced cilantro or parsley and a good dusting of garlic and chili powder, if desired.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, and they freeze beautifully too.

Tips:

* Make sure to dice the squash and potato very small (about the size of almonds), as this will expedite cooking. Also, if you are short on time, you can skip peeling the butternut squash as the skin is edible. (I don’t recommend skipping peeling the potato, though.)

** You can swap the red lentils for 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed).

*** You can swap the chard for 5 ounces of baby spinach or a bunch of kale (stemmed). I recommend chopping the greens into small bite-size pieces for easier eating.

I don’t see how this is misleading. She never says this is in the cookbook. She simply references her cookbook in the post, she also mentions her baby in the post but I wouldn’t assume he comes in the cookbook simply because he’s mentioned in the post.

I think it is in the most recent cookbook? Also, I made this last night and O-M-G did it cure what ails me: an accumlated 2.5′ of snow, wisdom teeth removal recovery and a post-2016 hangover. I used the lite coconut milk but added just the cream from a refrigerated can of full fat coconut milk to make it creamier; today I added coconut aminos and it was the BOMB! Very healing, satisfying and prepping everything first made clean up a snap! Thanks, Angela.

This recipe looks fabulous. I can certainly relate here– I love my peas, chickpeas, beans, and lentils. I end up throwing together a big bowl of steamed squash, sweet potatoes, lentils, and rice at least a few times a week this time of year, so spinning it all into a soup is such a fun new variation that I’m excited to try. Congratulations on your first sponsored post!
Thanks so much, Angela!

Thanks for your post and reminder to vote for your cookbook (I did :-).I’m glad to hear you’ve been slowing down a bit and valuing the moments before they become memories. I don’t eat lentils enough, though I love your Ultimate Green Taco Wraps. I need to try this one, too.

Mmmm. I know what I’m making next week – I even have all the ingredients! I’d love to vote, but the book is on my Christmas list so sadly I don’t have it yet. I can say that your first book is the most heavily used out of my extensive collection! I can’t wait for the second one.
Enjoy the baby and the slowing down – we will be here when you show up!

So glad to see you’re back! I just wanted to share how much my family and I are enjoying Oh She Glows Every Day. I ordered it the moment it was available to pre-order, and these last few months have really gotten me inspired for cooking again, largely because everything we’ve tried in your book has been such a success (most recently used recipes: 9-spice mix, pumpkin snacking cookies, dusted w/ confectioner’s sugar, and cabbage lentil soup — all in the last few days). After a couple years of limited time and energy, my love for cooking was waning. Your blog and book are such a delight. Your book is my go-to lately for meal planning and inspiration. Best to you and your family!

P.S. As an Android user, I’m hopeful that your app might be available soon too given your hint today!

This looks like such a great recipe! And congrats on the good news. Although I have missed your posts, I am so glad to hear that you have slowed down to enjoy the precious moments in your family. This of course is so important, so don’t worry about us over here! Enjoy this season. <3

Hi Jane, thank you so much for your support! Also, I love that phrase “a wee dote” too; I’ll have to throw it into a convo with our Irish relatives sometime and see if I impress them! haha. ;) I don’t see why frozen squash wouldn’t work, but I have to admit, I’ve never added frozen squash to a soup before! If you try it out, please let us know how it goes.

I DID try the soup with the frozen squash but it occurred to me that adding frozen raw squash to the recipe at the beginning could make it more watery. So I put everything but the squash together and started cooking. I defrosted and cooked the squash by steaming it and added to the rest of the stew by checking what stage the sweet potatoes had reached – when they matched, in went the squash to pick up the lovely flavours. Worked out a charm and have just finished a bowl of it for lunch – delicious! Thanks for getting me to think outside the box.

As a mom of three, including one born the same week as Arlo, I’m glad you chose to slow down. Life is too fast and mental health is important too!!! Ive been a long time fan and love your cookbooks. My husband always teases me and says, is this recipe from your friend,Angela? I just felt like writing today to encourage you as a new mom and fellow “friend” in the food world!

Angela congrats on new baby, and good for you slowing down and taking time to enjoy your little ones! This recipe looks wonderful. Do you think it would be as good with regular brown lentils. I wish you the best, and I’m going to vote!

Hi Lisa, thank you so much for the warm congrats! Red lentils are great in soups and stews because they break down when cooked, and help to thicken the broth. Brown lentils should work too though, but keep in mind they’ll retain their shape a bit more and alter the texture of the soup slightly. Please let me know what you think, if you give the swap a try!

Sent a response yesterday – have both your cookbooks, can I use frozen squash and what a lovely baby Arlo is – my post isn’t included with others dated yesterday. Did I not send it correctly? I thought I hit the submit button but maybe not.

Yay for stew and super YAY for the Android App. I cannot tell you how excited I am for the app. I totally feel I have been missing out. Like I knew about the party but was not invited. Love the video, the cookies look Delish!
This stew is going in my belly this weekend. I just have to get my hands on the light coconut milk.
Congrats on becoming a family of four.
You Rock Angela.

I just got your new cookbook from the library. Had to wait a bit for it as it is so popular!
I love the sound of this recipe and am going to try it, but I have to comment on the pictures in your book (and the last book too) They are so amazing and yummy looking, you just want to try everything.
I am also impressed with the glass canning jars and other containers, bowls, glasses that you use, but especially the canning jars. I like the way they can stack (mason jars don’t always stack so well. May I ask where you got them? you should put that information in with your bibliography the way some magazines do. I got a set of dishes that I just loved that way from Eaton’s (going back awhile) because I saw them being used in a food presentation in a magazine. I believe it was Chatelaine!
Thanks very much and love the new book

Hi Katie, I haven’t tried it in the crock pot myself, but I’m not sure why it wouldn’t work! If you experiment, please report back–I’d love to know how it goes. I would probably attempt using the lowest heat setting to make sure it doesn’t dry out the first try. :)

Made this recipe tonight as an after hike meal. The company I was with did not want to have any onion or garlic in the recipe so I gave it a try without those items and this recipe turned out wonderfully! Very creamy mouth feel and very satisfying over a bowl of brown rice. Very nicely done Angela. Another incredible recipe!

Angela this looks delicious! Could I leave the tomatos out? My lo is having acid reflux issues:-(

Also, I’m amazed at how you could have been writing my very own story…my sweet boy was born October 24th and we are also trying to soak it in! The minute we came home from the hospital we realized our little girl was not so little anymore. She is 2 years 5 months and bossy too?. I seriously ugly cried a few times realizing how big she is and even though ADORING our sweet boy, missing all the sweet days I had with my sweet girl. I too had baby blues for a couple weeks so that didn’t help. Big sister loves brother and we love that! I’m just trying to survive as a mom so I can’t imagine how tired you must be! Hope you are doing well!

Hey Courtney, Congrats on your new baby boy! Yes, it’s all about survival right now..glad we’re not the only ones! ;) As for leaving out the soup you definitely can try it. I would probably add a bit more broth in its place. The tomatoes lend acidity to the soup so you might find that it needs a little “brightness” added back to it without them (such as more vinegar until it pops). Just add it slowly to taste and you should be fine! Or maybe you’ll enjoy the flavour without tweaking anything at all.

I am going to try this recipe on Thursday when I work from home. Now I’m at the office enjoying one of your lentil soups from the second cookbook. What is my afternoon snack, you ask? Why, it will be the chocolate chip cookie dough balls from the first cookbook.

I love love love your blog and I have been following it for years (especially during your pregnancy with Adriana, as I was just a couple of weeks behind you), but I have never once made anything. It all looks amazing and I have definitely been inspired, I am just not much for following recipes. But, my toddler and I are in a food rut and this recipe called out to me. I bought every ingredient (even though I never do that…I usually think, “eh…those five ingredients I don’t have can’t be that important”) and followed your instructions exactly. It was amazing. I probably won’t eat anything else until the whole batch is gone. I can’t wait to try more!

Hey Angela! I don’t know if you know this already, but your book made it into Chapters Christmas video/ad. :) https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/holiday-guide/
It makes my heart happy to see it there. We have both your book and your app, and your recipes are among our favourites.

Hi Teresa, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me this sweet message and let me know about the Chapters holiday guide! (That makes MY heart happy!) I’m wishing you and your family all the best of the holiday season. :)

Hi I was wondering if any of your recipes can be made medicated? And which one would you recommend? Do you have a favorite recipe that I could convert. Either butter or coconut oil would work for me on the medicated part?. I have a mmj card for Cancer ALL Luekemia. Thank you in advance

This is delicious. Made it for dinner tonight on a damp New England night. Used garlic, onion, sweet potato, butternut squash and chard from my CSA share. I opted for the chickpea variation and didn’t make the rice. This will be a regular in my home.

Made this for dinner tonight and it is baby approved! My 10 month old gobbled hers up before I got to sit down and eat mine :) I didn’t find it spicy at all! Next time I will definitely sub out lentils and try chickpeas. I didn’t have veggie stock so I just used water, and I’m pretty sure the coco milk I used wasn’t light, but it wasn’t too heavy at all. I did notice that the potatoes and squash were fork tender way before 30 min so I just reduced heat. Loved this so much, I will be adding it to our comforting and healthy soup rotation! Now to have a double chocolate one bowl cookie for dessert :)

Hey Cindy, You could definitely swap the lentils for chickpeas (see bottom of the recipe for tips on that!) or use a combo of the two. Go wild! :) Soups are so forgiving. The recipe as written makes 11 cups, so I would say it serves 5 (I usually allot 2 cups per bowl).

I made this tonight and it was delicious. A little soupy though, I think I will cut down on the liquid next time to two cups instead of three. The flavour was spectacular though. Oh the other thing is when I added the chard it wasn’t chopped finely enough. Next time I will do that too! Love it though and will make it again

You just saved my dinner! I am 38+ weeks pregnant and having a weird afternoon. I was going to order out but decided to check your website. Thank you! It was amazing. My children loved it. Not too hot and not too spicy. Your recipes that we have tried have all been a hit!

I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I decided on spinach instead of chard, because I had a box of chopped, frozen spinach in the freezer, and chard is selling for $3/bunch even just at the big box grocery stores here.

Although I found it adequately stew-like as it was, I did blitz it for a few seconds to get it thicker.

As I write my 13-month old baby is asleep and this stew is simmering on the stove. I’m saddly a single mum; however, I’m glad to write that I used fresh squash from my local, loving food bank, as well as a can of chick peas and a can of coconut milk from there too! The can of diced tomatoes that I used was a jar I canned myself this autumn with organic tomatoes that a farmer gave me. (He didn’t just give me the tomatoes, he brought a whole box of tomatoes right to my door along with jars for canning! I couldn’t believe this act of kindness!) Unfortunately, there weren’t any sweet potatoes available at the grocery store, so I used a yam instead. (Next time, please add a kid-friendly idea. Thanks.)

It’s a cold, rainy day here, and this stew hit the spot! I just realized that I omitted the tomato paste by accident, but it still turned out great. And, best of all, my usually skeptical boys tasted it and even asked for seconds! Thank you for another great recipe.

I made this on the weekend and it was a hit with the entire family–including the 6 year old. I used frozen butternut squash (President’s Choice brand) and it worked out fine! I subbed kale instead of chard—and I always put a stick of celery in my soups/stews, so that went in, too. I used a 28oz can of diced tomatoes because I could not abide putting half the can in my tiny fridge–just added an extra tablespoon or two of paste to compensate and it was great! The flavours were lovely and mild–my husband loved the bright “tang” that the cider vinegar lends to the dish. I’m getting three meals’ worth out of the recipe (froze a batch and the left-overs gave us meal #2). A+

Just read your recipe and it is awesome. I could not wait to taste. I always love to read yours stories. I will prepare this tonight. Whereas it is not more heavy dish so basically me, my family any other persons mostly favor your recipe. Thanks for your sharing recipe and always share your recipe with people.

This is such a beautiful recipe. I have been following your blog page for many years. I read your recipe lest week and I wanted to surprise to my sweet baby who is now 14 years old. His birthday was on 7th December. So basically I cooked for him and also my family. So I can’t believe me that they are really tell me that it is awesome. So that time and now I am sooooo happy and I want to thank you for sharing this recipe.

Hi Kimberly, Yes, I tested this recently, and the stew works great in the crockpot! I just threw everything in except the greens, and cooked it on high, covered, for 4 hours, followed by 1.5 hours on high uncovered. Then, I used the immersion blender very briefly to thicken it into a stew texture, and added the greens at the very end.

What a delicious, satisfying meal this made (plus a snack, plus standing at the fridge inhaling it cold.) I found the level of spice perfect for my family. My 2-year old asked for seconds, even! I will be making this again soon.

Hi, Angela! This recipe is honestly incredible! I have never commented before but have been following you for the longest time. Your recipes have been such a life saver for me because of several food intolerances plus my family love them too!

I stumbled on this recipe trying to find a last minute dinner idea with ingredients we already had on hand. What a gold mine of a find! Absolutely delicious. We made a large pot full and ate off of it for days and were heartbroken when the pot was empty ;) This was delicious, hearty, tasty, and un-complicated. Thank you for sharing!

This recipe was mind-blowingly good! I’m trying to return to veganism after a long time away, and recipes like these fill my need for meaty, hearty winter dishes. Thank you so much for all that you do!

I tried this tonight and both my husband and I loved it. It’s a new favourite and we’ll be making it again. It’s very flavourful and savoury, perfect for a cold night! We used baby kale and spinach. I did find that the prep took longer than expected, though.

Wow! Made this tonight. It’s fantastic! We are not vegan but making an effort to trend toward vegan. I’m constantly impressed by your recipes and looking forward to trying all of the ones on your newest app I downloaded.

Hi Staci, I tested this recently, and I just threw everything in except the greens and cooked it on high, covered, for 4 hours, followed by 1.5 hours on high UNcovered. Then, I used the immersion blender very briefly to thicken it into a stew texture, and added the greens at the very end. Hope this helps!

This was ridiculously good! I used chickpeas instead of lentils and served with Jasmine rice. Oh my! Angela, your recipes have never failed me. Just WOW! I just ordered your first book as a gift for my mother (I own it of course!) and your second book as a gift for me :)

This stew is AMAZING. If anyone is wondering about using a slow cooker, I threw everything into the crock pot and let it cook on high for 3-3.5 hours and it came out beautifully. I could not get over how delicious it was; definitely my new favorite cold-weather recipe.

Hi Brooke, Yes, you can! Just keep in mind that green lentils will retain their shape a bit more than the red lentils, which break down when cooked and help to thicken the broth a little, so the texture of the soup will be altered slightly. Please let me know what you think, if you give the swap a try!

This looks absolutely delicious and I think I even have almost all of the ingredients needed to make this! My family is currently staying with me for a visit so I am seriously considering making this for dinner this week!

I am writing this review while eating this stew and oh it’s soo good on a cold chilly day… I added red curry paste, soy sauce, lemon juice and curry powder. I also used spinach instead of chard. Thank you!

Made this a couple of nights ago and we loved it!! Only thing I changed is I used half the cumin as my husband and I aren’t big on cumin. I wasn’t sure what to expect but everything I’ve tried of yours so far has been a hit so I gave it a go, glad we did! And you’re right, its even better the next day as the flavors melded together. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your work, it is very much appreciated!!

I am making now. It’s all in the pot simmering. It smells absolutely fantastic! If I could make one suggestion, it would be to revise the list of ingredients so that you include the size of the butternut squash and sweet potato pieces right in the list, rather than below the recipe instructions. I missed it and I did my best to go back and re-chop things, but I know it’s not all almond size shaped. Thanks!

I love this! Made it last week and froze half… looking forward to those leftovers for my work lunches this week! This recipe is so unique in flavor, and it’s addicting! And I’m so glad to see the crockpot directions! That will make a perfect cozy lunch to come home to after church. Thanks for this Angela. I’m a huge fan of your blog and books. Happy New Year!

I made this over the holidays for my half vegan and half non vegan family and it was a big hit! The flavors are spot on and it definitely hit the spot on a cold winter night. This will be in my family’s rotation from now on. Aside from subbing the chard for kale, I followed the recipe exactly and it was simple and easy to prepare. Winner!

I made this last night and it is going in my “keeper” folder. Really delicious. I only made two changes. First, I added ½ tsp. curry powder, just because my family likes curry.

Second, I changed a couple of steps in the recipe– I added the spices to the onions after they were soft and let them “bloom” while continually stirring. Then I added the tomato paste, stirring briefly before before adding the squash and potatoes. This helped the tomato paste develop a deeper and less-raw flavor. I do these steps every time I make a dish like this and it always helps to bring a richness and depth to the food.

As always, Angela, your recipes are a hit in my house. Thanks for all you do to share this great food with us! :)

I made this last night and it was a hit with the whole family (including my kids of 3 & 1). I followed the recipe exactly but left out the chili powder to avoid it being too spicy for the kids. It was still delicious for all and perfect for the freezing weather we have here at the moment. Thanks again for another delicious recipe & happy new year!

Hi! Thank you so much for all your recipes–I’m a big fan! I received your newest cookbook for Christmas and continually suggest your recipes to vegan and non-vegans! Yesterday I made your muffin tops from new cookbook-so quick and easy! I also made your banana protein granola bars which I freeze for on the go breakfast–one of my faves! Quick question for this one- I have seen in comments where you suggest cooking in Crock Pot on high for around 4 hours then uncovered for additional time. The other day I saw on Instagram stories you did double batch overnight on low for 12 hours. Do you prefer one method over other? Does either have a better taste? Also this may be silly question but should I saute onion and garlic before putting in crock pot? Thanks for your help!

Hey Heather, Oh, great questions! And not silly at all (I have often wondered this in the past too). I don’t know if I have noticed a big difference when cooking on high for a shorter amount of time versus overnight on low. I would think that the flavours might develop a little more overnight, but I haven’t really paid much attention to it as I’ve only done it a couple times so far. I don’t sauté the onion and garlic beforehand to try and streamline things (I just throw it all in!), but you definitely can if you prefer. I also noticed that when slow cooking this stew, the chard flavour was more pronounced for some reason, so I think next time I will try using spinach and maybe adding it just before serving. Hope this helps!

Hi Angela, I just finished making this recipe, it is so good! The only change I made was to add a little more cayenne pepper. This is a keeper, a real awesome comfort food! Thank you so much, I love your recipes. Thanks, Sharon

My whole family loved this recipe – even my husband who tends to find butternut + sweet potatoes a little too sweet and cloying for his taste. The way the red lentils and coconut milk combine to thicken the stew is genius. I used a potato masher instead of my immersion blender to smash up the ingredients a bit, I find that makes it easier to not over-purée. Topped it off with a dollop of plain Greek yoghurt. YUM!!!

Absolutely Delicious! I was a little sceptical, but made it for dinner, as I wanted to try a plant based meal. Everyone loved it! This recipe is a keeper! Can’t wait to try more recipes from the cookbook!

So this is the first recipe I have ever tried and although I have experimented w/one vegan recipe from another source – I don’t recall it as enjoyable. Well this one is definitely where I should have come. Fed this to me, my husband and my daughter… this recipe is unbelievably good. Only change I made was to add the heat to taste… thank you for advising that. So good!

Hey, I’m a big fan of your books, blog and app. Made this tonight. It was amazing and had a perfect little kick to it. Thanks for posting!! Can’t wait to freeze some and have it in a few weeks as well!!

This looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it! Based on your recent Snapchats, it looks like you use your slow cooker to make this as well? What are the instructions for making this stew in the slow cooker?

Hi Whitney, I just threw everything into the slow cooker except the greens and cooked it covered on high for 4 hours, followed by 1.5 hours on high UNcovered. Then, I very briefly used the immersion blender to thicken it into a stew texture, and added the greens at the very end. Hope this helps!

I stumbled on this recipe and looks great except of the Coconut milk, nowadays healthy cooking has a lot of Coconut/coconut milk product in it. I am highly allergic, what would be a good substitute? I have been using almond milk.

Hi Janet, I haven’t tested any swaps for the coconut milk yet, but you can definitely try almond milk. I think cashew milk might lend a nice creaminess too. I’m sure it goes without saying but be sure to use unflavoured (no vanilla) and unsweetened milk. Another thing you could try is using half almond milk and half cashew cream (blend soaked cashews with water until smooth). Please let us know if you try anything out!

I made this for a family potluck. It was a huge hit! I had 3-4 people ask for the recipe (so I directed them here!). I’ve made it a few times since too. It is delicious, nutritious, and pretty easy to make. My boys (3 and 1) liked it (even the time I forgot to cut back the heat for them).

What FABULOUS stew – it was positively delicious and so warming on a dark and dreary winter’s day. I made one change – I substituted Penzey’s “Now Curry” spice blend as it had all of the spices listed in the recipe, plus my favorite fenugreek and cardamom. It was a big hit – even for the non-vegans in my family! Definitely going into my recipe rotation.

Made it tonight – so delicious and easy! Perfect for a chilly NYC evening. We had it with brown rice on the side and cilantro on top. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers – I’m sure this will get even more delicious the next day. Thanks for the great recipe!

This is a fantastic recipe! I swapped the lentils for canned chickpeas in the last ~10 mins of cooking and used baby spinach because that’s what I had. Served over white rice. A perfect, nourishing meal that I will be making again.

Hate to admit this on your website…but I am a meat eater. I have followed this website over the years and incorporated some of the recipes to spice it up and add meatless options to my diet. I made this recipe over the weekend because I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and it was delicious and incredibly satisfying. Just what I needed on a cold January day.

This was so tasty and quick to make. I had a good friend over last night who loved it and filled up her Pyrex for lunch today. This was my first recipe from your blog (I am new to vegan cooking) and I can’t wait to try more this weekend and share this with my friends and family. Thank you!!!

I was cooking up a storm tonight and only just realized that I was making 2 of your recipes simultaneously without realizing! Your chana masala is my go-to work fuel lunch, and I’m loving this soup for snowy days. I’m a meat & dairy eater but it’s so nice to find yummy vegan recipes to supplement my diet. Thanks!

This was delicious. Both my husband and I loved it. The only changes I made was to add minced ginger in with the garlic, used chicken broth because that’s what I had on hand and used Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste for a Thai/Indian fusion. This is now my favorite curry!

This recipe is so delicious and ignited my obsession with turmeric! After making this stew 3 times in a month, I really wanted to share the recipe with others, so I recently blogged about it on A Healthier Upstate (https://www.ahealthierupstate.org/hidden-gems/hidden-gems-turmeric/) – a health and wellness blog for the upstate New York community. I wanted to thank you for inspiring this story!

I made this recipe last night and it is absolutely fantastic. I have a binder in my kitchen in which only the best recipes (the ones that make you scrape the plate or bowl for every last bit) are stored. This recipe made the cut. It will be one I look forward to making again and again. Thanks!

I received you wonderful cookbook as a Christmas present from my Mom and I have to say I am enjoying it immensely! I am not a confident cook and have truly loved creating your recipes AND my kids eat it up! Thank you for creating such a beautiful piece.

This recipe looks like another winner for my household!

I have a question. I made the Comforting red lentil and chickpea curry last week but found it to be dry. Is the fix to add more puréed tomatoes?

Hey Lisa, I’m so happy you and your family have been enjoying the new cookbook! That’s always so wonderful to hear. :) If you find yourself wanting a bit more moisture in your Comforting Red Lentil and Chickpea Curry, I think adding a bit more of the tomatoes is a great solution. This recipe is supposed to turn out thick and stew-like, but thinner consistencies can be lovely too! Depending on whether you use crushed or pureed tomatoes, the moisture can be a bit different for each. So you might want to try both. At the very end of cooking just add a bit more tomato at a time and adjust until your curry is the desired texture.

First, I’d like to mention that I LOVE your recipes. Thank you – they’ve really changed my outlook on both cooking and baking (and yes – I needed help :) Do you have a recipe for a first birthday cake? My son is turning one in a couple of weeks and I’m in need of a recipe for his cake. He hasn’t really had any sweet treats yet besides fruit, so would like him to try a cake which is delicious, with a hint ‘o healthy too! Any ideas?

Hi Raffaela, Thank you so much for the warm words, and happy birthday to your little one! I’m sorry that I haven’t shared a healthy cake option for you little one. I will definitely keep this in mind for a future recipe though!

actually I made this and didn’t like it at all, or my guests, it says to cook it 30 minutes or until tender – it never got tender in 50 minutes, so served it anyway, then thought, ok, maybe I just need to cook it more, so cooked an hour the next morning and blah, still not good, I had to throw it out. sorry, just one girls experience.

Hi Amber, You can certainly add them sooner if you prefer. My dish isn’t meant to be traditional, and I opted to simplify my recipe as much as possible.

This quote from Serious Eats may be helpful for you:
“When should I be adding spices to a dish?
You may notice (and be understandably frustrated) that there’s no real rule of thumb when it comes to how and when to use each type of mixture. But it can be a liberating realization: simply put, there is no rule of thumb. Many curries get their characteristic red color from a chili-based spice blend, but contain a completely different set of spices in the garam masala, which may be added at the beginning, middle, or end of cooking. Some individual spices may be ground and sprinkled on top just before serving, or it may be a blend. Spices added at the beginning tend to mellow in flavor, while permeating the gravy and coating the meat or vegetables. Those added at the end will retain a sharper pungency.”

Hi :-) This look and sound super delicious!
Is it possible to sub the coconut milk for another type of plantmilk? like soymilk, or almond?
I hope you’ll reply :D
Kind regards, Linea
Ps. thank you for all your amazing recipes!

Hey Linea, I haven’t tested any swaps for the coconut milk myself, but you could definitely try almond or soy milk. I think cashew milk might lend a nice creaminess, too. Just be sure to use unflavoured (no vanilla) and unsweetened milk. :) You could also try using half almond milk and half cashew cream (blend soaked cashews with water until smooth). If you try anything out, please report back and let us know how you like it!

This has been one of my favorite meals to make this fall/winter! It has great flavor and never disappoints. Tonight I was debating on even making it because I didn’t have all of the ingredients and I’m so glad I decided to stick with my plan because it turned out great! I didn’t have onion, garlic, sweet potato, or diced tomatoes! So instead I used butternut squash, carrots and used 3/4 cup lentils rather than 1/2 just to use up my bag. I kept all the other ingredient measurements the same – AMAZING!!!! Not only is this recipe delicious – it’s also versatile!! Thanks for another wonderful meal Angela!!

Angela, I just made this last night and oh my goodness! The flavors are heavenly! I absolutely love the combination of butternut squash and red lentils, but the coconut milk gives it this perfect, rich and creamy texture. Thanks for sharing this recipe! It’ll definitely make a reappearance in my household!

I’m making this for a passover celebration tomorrow. We were invited to someone else’s house for the celebration. How do you think this would travel? My thought is to make it up until the chard step, then ask to use the stove at their house and add the chard at the last minute. My concern is that the green would lose it’s color en route. Is this an unnecessary extra step, or do you think it would be worth it? I just want it to look as pretty as possible, since it’s a potluck.

Hey Julia, I think that’s a great idea. I find sometimes if the chard sits too long, it can get a strange chard-y flavour (or maybe that was just a weird batch I had last time, lol), so adding it fresh might be a nice option. Or you could use kale or baby spinach instead, and add it in advance. I hope this helps!

Oh My Gosh….this one is a winner, I’m cradling your new book, Oh She Glows Every Day….I love the ease of this recipe and the F L A V O R. I’m not joking, I’m bringing this to an Easter dinner invite, this weekend.

Hey Janet, You can definitely can try leaving out the tomato. I would probably add a bit more broth in its place. Since the tomatoes lend acidity to the soup, you might also find that it needs a little “brightness” added back to it without them. If you find you want to tweak the flavour, you could try adding more vinegar until it pops; just add it slowly to taste and you should be fine! Or maybe you’ll enjoy the flavour without tweaking anything at all. :)

Hi Alyssa, I haven’t tested any swaps for the coconut milk yet, but I think you could try almond milk or cashew milk (which might lend a nice creaminess, too). Just be sure to use unflavoured and unsweetened milk. Another thing you could try is using half almond milk and half cashew cream (blend soaked cashews with water until smooth). Please let us know if you try anything out!

I made this recipe this evening after a long – and crummy! – day because I was craving some comfort food. It is SO delicious. I ended up substituting the lentils for chickpeas and was missing some spices (I hadn’t planned on cooking at all – part of my crummy day) so I used some of your 10-spice mix I had in my cupboard and it turned out so well! I’m already obsessed. Thank you for such an incredible recipe that absolutely turned my day around! Will definitely be making it again.

I had a friend coming over who only eats vegan… (aghhh what to cook).
This recipe popped up. Gave it a go and blitz it. Really easy to make and she was raving!!
Paired it with an argentian red and it was devine. Im still full from it nearly 6 hours later.
I must for anyone who isn’t at the master chef stage yet. Best of all I had 6 portions left over after I went back for seconds….

Um…YES! It’s spring, but it’s been rainy and cold this past week. So I felt like making a dinner that would warm us up from the inside out. This was delicious. Perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and creamy. And such a great idea to serve it over rice. It makes the presentation look nice too. Thank you so much for this!

Hello from Denver! I am cooking this now, smells good. two thoughts, questions: my first experiment in indian style cooking came from the DVD extras on “Bend It Like Beckham” where the Indian real life mother and aunt of the movie’s director are directing her through the steps in making an Aloo Gobi. (A memorable line from the movie – the Indian mother is moaning that her soccer-obscessed daughter will never find a husband because: “You can’t even make an aloo gobi!”). In this video, the Aunt is SCARY insistent that the Tumeric be cooked (added to the onions for the last minute) lest it impair a bitter taste. I didn’t do that here, since I was following steps and not looking ahead. Whaddayathink…bunk? 2. since I don’t have a hand blender, I am going to take several cups out of the soup and put them in a regular blender and add back. That works nicely in bean soups for the added thickening effect. I love your blog! Just stumbled on it last week via Cookie Kate’s Chana Masala recipe. This is my first go and I see lots of other interesting concoctions to explore. will come back to rate it after we eat it

Made this over the weekend. Wow…it’s absolutely delicious. Great kick from the spices (not too little/too much). Instead of chard, I used spinach and I couldn’t find any red lentils at my store so I used other lentils. The only thing I may do different next time is to add a little bit of pureed dates to give it a bit of sweetness and maybe some tofu. I take this, along with some rice, to work for a wholesome lunch.

I made this today and it was the first recipe I tried from here. It was absolutely delicious and I got a lot of compliments on this! I replaced the butternut with carrots and the chard with spinach. I can’t wait to try more recipes!

Made this tonight and it was very tasty! My husband had 3 helpings and I had 2
Just tweaked it in that I used a squeeze of lemon rather than the vinegar used a tin of full cream coconut milk and then put the whole thing in the oven for 11/2 hours at 170C (That was only because I wanted to take a cat nap and thought the oven might be a safer option!)
Will make this again and again Thank you for posting

I’ve tried about half a dozen different vegan sweet potato curry recipes and this one is hands down the best! I used two sweet potatoes and no squash. I did use a curry spice blend because I didn’t have tumeric but the flavor was amazing with the other ingredients. Thanks so much!

This was totally amazing – so delicious!! And that was with forgetting to put in the spinach which I was going to use instead of the chard, as I had some in the fridge. Both hubby and I were truly impressed. We want to start eating less meat and as I am sensitive to dairy, soy and eggs, this was perfect.

Never tried Red Lentil Stew earlier. Appears like a perfect combination with butternut and sweet potato. I shall definitely try this recipe this weekend with my daughter and let you know my genuine feedback. Do you mind sharing any new tip on using pomegranate in salads, Angela?

Every time I try one of your recipes I say “THIS is my best favourite” and I mean it every time!! This was crazy delicious and loved the creaminess from the coconut milk. 👌 The only thing I did different was to roast the sweet potato and squash first. 🙌🏻🙌🏻 Thanks for all the amazing recipes!! 🌱💚

Loved visiting your blog, Angela. It is such a pleasure reading your yummy dishes and try them out with my husband who is a retired army man. Tried your butternut sweet potato dish and I must say that he like it really well.

Do you think this would be O.K. to make in the crockpot on low for a day? I think I would like to serve this at my house warming party, which will be on a Friday evening, so cooking the day of is probably not practical. Thanks!

Hey Karen,
I’ve tried it and it worked in the slow cooker (although I can’t remember if I had to adjust the liquids…it wouldn’t have been much if I did). The only thing I would suggest is if you’re adding chard, to wait until adding it just before serving. I added mine at the start and I found the stew had a “chard-y” flavour after slow cooking, haha.

My whole family LOVES the Oh She Glows cookbook; we have yet to buy the second one but Christmas is coming. This recipe is amazing; so delicious and family friendly. I don’t have an immersion blender, so I just put half in the blender and then added it back to the pot. I also served it over cauliflower rice delish! You rock, keep it coming.
Cheers, Pippa

This is delicious. I made 2 minor changes. I was out of lentils so added a can of red kidney beans instead. Also, I used a can of Rotel tomatoes to give it a bit of a kick. This is so easy to make and super good.

OMG, this is fantastic! Invited a family I’ve known for 15 years. After they accepted, it was “Oh, by the way, we’re vegan.” Heart stopped. This saved the day. Recommendations: get the Whole Foods pre-cut butternut squash. It’s worth the expense. Also, measure out everything — and I mean everything (the apple cider at the end is critical — in advance, and cooking it is really easy and, dare I say, fun? I even ate it with the brown rice, and liked it! (My husband is still in shock on that one.) The first time I made it I forgot the chard/spinach (that getting EVERYTHING ready in advance thing). As it turns out on this one, my husband doesn’t like greens floating in soups or stews, and it tastes fine without it. Stepping up the heat (spices) makes it even better (I didn’t do that the first time because, pardon the expression, I was chicken.)

I love all your recipes! I made your panzanella for Thanksgiving (acorn instead of delicata squash, equally as yummy!), and it was a HUGE HIT!

I’m looking forward to making this stew also! I just noticed though that the printer-friendly version of the recipe is blank, or is covered by a menu, on right of page. It’s just so much easier to look at with only the ingredients and directions visible. Is there something I’m missing here?

Hey Catherine, I’m so glad the panzanella was a hit! :)
I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the printed version of this stew. That definitely shouldn’t be happening! Do you mind shooting an email to press[at]ohsheglows[dot]com with a screenshot of what you’re seeing, and which web browser you use? Thanks!

Absolutely! I find that most of my soups and stews freeze very well. You can freeze individual portions, flat, in zip freezer bags, or freeze in frezer-safe containers (leaving an inch or so for expansion). Hope this helps!

Oh me. Oh my. This is DELICIOUS! I made this stew 5 days ago and have been eating it every night for dinner. I only added one sweet potato (all I had), extra squash, and extra red lentils. Took the route of pureeing some at the end of cooking. Also added a bit of mushroom stock in addition to the veggie stock for a little more depth of flavour. I am making a DOUBLE batch again today and plan on freezing some. Such an excellent, easy, scrumptious and healthful recipe – thank you Angela!!

I just made this for a vegan side for Thanksgiving tomorrow (we have vegans among our meat eaters in our family) and it is delicious. I’m trying not to eat it all tonight! I’m going to add the greens tomorrow before serving it, but it is really amazing. Great job!

Oh my GOD this is amazing!! I didn’t have apple cider vinegar, so I used red wine vinegar instead, but HOLY it’s so good! I swear the vinegar is the secret ingredient that adds that extra ‘oomph’ of flavour!

Even my boyfriend, who LOVES meat, ate two bowls of this.

Makes a HUGE amount, also, so I brought some to work for lunches and shared — and everyone at work wanted the recipe too! Thank you for this, will definitely add to my winter staples!

I just made this tonight and cannot get over how good it is! Thank you for the wonderful recope. Now that I’ve tried it, I can’t wait to make it for guests – always looking for recipes to share that showcase how delicious vegan/plant based diets can be.

This is really a great recipe! It was a super smart move to add the apple cider vinegar. The acidity gives it such a bright flavor, which is needed because of all the heavy elements.

There is one thing though that I do to elevate it just a bit more. While the flavor is excellent, the texture is very mushy. And while you have a plethora of great ingredients in here, they get lost in the mush. Holding on to the chard stems, chopping them, and throwing them in along with the leaves gives the stew a little crunch and breaks up the monotony of the soft potatoes and squash.

This recipe is truly awesome. It has risen above my two other make-all-the-time lentil recipes. I can hardly believe that such a few simple spices create this much flavor. I double the garlic & heat spices and use dino kale since it’s easier to come by. I always use full fat coconut milk–who doesn’t love extra creaminess in everything?! I add a pound of grass-fed ground beef to this (sorry, but it adds another level of flavor and richness that is incredible) and double the lentils so there’s more to enjoy for longer!

I did a little experiment with this recipe by throwing all of these ingredients in a slow cooker for four hours because my little angel of a screaming toddler was not about to let mama chop, saute, and boil!

Mistake! Apparently the acidity from the tomato and apple cider vinegar, along with the generous amount of salt I added kept the lentils from absorbing any liquid. Aaarg! Going to try and let it go overnight, crossing my fingers that all is yummy and mushy in the am. I also read that under-cooked lentils can be quite hazardous! Who knew… thought I would share my chemistry lesson here in hopes in helps someone else. Doh!

I made this today, it was amazing. Usually the only thing I have had from this site has been the holiday soup for the soul and that was great so I had high hopes.

I did edit the recipe a bit with extra butternut squash, no sweet potato and double the lentils but it was pretty much the same thing. Blending some of the veg at the end really works well, and it was tempting to just have that as an amazing soup. I had never used cider vinegar before this so bought some today, star of the show!

Hey Paul, I’m so happy to hear both the recipes you’ve tried so far have been hits. Thanks so much for your feedback on this recipe! It’s always so nice when you can customize a recipe with what you have on hand. Happy cooking!

I accidentally doubled the cumin, turmeric and chili powder. I thought the spoon I was using was a 1/2 tsp., but it was actually 1 tsp. Oops!! As it turns out, it was a great mistake to make!! My 12 year old steppy who “doesn’t like squash” LOVED it! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I look forward to perusing more of your posts!!

Hey Amy, I’m glad it was a happy mistake! I often increase the spices called for because I really love spice. I love to take my 10-spice mix and shake it on top of my own bowl of soup/stew because I’ve found it’s good on just about everything. ;)

Fantastic recipe and I’m curious to know if it can be made in an Instant Pot. As a recent Instant Pot convert, I’m looking to try as many recipes as I can in it. This one looks like it would be a winner. I know you gave directions for the slow cooker and I’d like to use the pressure cooker function. Thanks in advance for any directions and thanks for so many of your other excellent recipes as well.

I actually made this tonight in the Instant Pot! I used to the saute function to soften the veggies and left it on saute as I put in all the other ingredients. Then I set the pressure cooker button for 10 minutes. I didn’t add the apple cider vinegar and chard until it was done cooking. Worked well and was delicious!!

I have a toddler who is fussy when it comes to trying new meals. Also, I am trying to cook more plant based meals for us, so I thought I would give this a try. I only added half the amount of spices like you suggested to keep it mild. He ate a whole bowl of it! We both loved it and I will be making it again! Thanks for the recipe :)

Angela,
Great receipe, you have really nailed this one. But then again, I have tried many of your receipes from your books, and they are very tasty. Nice job. I cut down the liquid to two cups in order to make a slightly thicker stew and it works great. Thanks!
Gary

Just remembering back, years ago, when I first started sharing your name – when friends would ask for the best resources to explore this healthy way of eating/cooking. I wanted to take a moment and let you know I think you are amazing at what you do and grateful that you share! I made this stew when I was fasting Tuesday for my husband and was so anxious to try it. Had it tonite and it just could not have been tastier!! YOU ROCK ANGELA :)

I made this tonight, and it’s the most delicious and flavorful dish I have tasted in a while! Cannot wait to have my boyfriend try it tomorrow. It has so much flavor, I cannot get over it, or even pin point what is making it taste so bomb!! I actually only had 2 out of 3 cups of veggie broth left at home, that worked out fine. I also used frozen squash. I did have to add around 1 cup of water near the middle-end of the simmering at medium because it was needing it (obviously my fault), but it came out perfect at the end. Grams wise, I did use a smaller sweet potato, smaller by about 100 grams than the called for amount, and the squash amount I used was 560 grams, slightly more than the called for amount. I skipped the chili powder and only added a pinch of cayenne. This was such a beautiful, sweet, creamy, and satisfying dish. I think I found another staple meal! Thank you Angela :)

I like everything I’ve ever mad from the OSG books and APP but this blew my mind!!!! It was so flavourful, filling and satisfying. Will be making this often!! Thanks for always giving us the most tasty recipes – oh ya and it’s husband approved (by a non-veg/vegan)!

Hi there, this sounds absolutely delicious.
I have to try and adapt a week’s worth of meals to a lady who is allergic to the deadly nightshade family.. so no tomatoes. Have you ever tried making this without the tomatoes?

Hey Georgie, I’m sorry I haven’t made it without the canned tomatoes, but I’m planning on making it again tonight so I will try to remember to try it! I’ll add the tomatoes near the end and compare the two.

Me again :)
I’m testing it right now and just wanted to update you! I tasted the stew half way through cooking without the canned tomatoes and the tomato paste and it’s quite good! I do think you can get away without using them, however since there’s no acid from the tomatoes I think it’s especially important to use the apple cider vinegar at the end of cooking, and you may even want to use a bit more (adding to taste). I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it out!

I’m new to plant based eating and am trying this recipe for the second time – no tomatoes first time except 1 measly Roma tomato! It was so good. I’m following the recipe exactly and my kitchen smells wonderful. I especially like the “dice small, about the size of almonds”; I use this all the time! Love your app, insta-stories and website – it’s making this lifestyle/eating change easier. Thanks Angela!

I’m so happy I stumbled upon this recipe! I made it for dinner last night, and it’s definitely a keeper! It’s so flavorful and filled with healthy ingredients. I sautéed the veggies in water and reduced the recipe by 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Everyone loved it! I just had a sweet potato with this stew over the top for lunch. I’m so happy there are leftovers!

Hi Angela,
I am about to make this, really looking forward to trying it. yum
And great that Colleen has also tried it without tomatoes..
little question on quantities.
i need to make it for 13 plus people. the recipe is for 11 cups. I am not very good at quarts.. being english I am a little unused to this measurement.. Any tips greatly received.
Thanks a lot

Hey Georgie, Thank you! 11 cups is equal to roughly 2.6 litres or 2.75 quarts…does that help at all? :)
I think you’d probably want to double the recipe if you are making it for 13 people. I think this recipe would serve 6 (at just under 2 cups/500 mL per person). Doubling soups can be a bit tricky as sometimes you don’t need to double the liquid fully, and sometimes you need less salt too, so my advice would be to add the liquid and salt slowly as it cooks, to taste.

Thank you for the deliciousness! I made this and it was so good! I love your cookbook and stumbled across this recipe online. The spice combination is awesome and I added a bell pepper as well. Served with rice and warm naan perfect supper.

OMG, instant new favorite! As I was making this it kind of reminded me of the Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup (another favorite), so I threw in some cinnamon and cardamom almost by habit. It was so freaking delicious that I literally dreamed about it last night and this morning my husband and I fought over who gets to have the leftovers for lunch (I won, moahahah).

Hey Jessica, I would saute the onion/garlic/spices in a saute pan first, and then add it along with all the ingredient (except for the greens) and cook on low for about 8 hours. I would add the greens during the last 30 minutes probably. I haven’t tried this before but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. I hope this helps!

Thanks for another great recipe, Angela! We have been eating more plant-based meals over the past year and your blog has become a go-to site for me :) It’s better than sifting through Pinterest! I omitted the tomato paste, chard, and ACV because I didn’t have the first two and forgot the last one, but it was great nonetheless! Wonderful for a rainy, cool fall day.

Hey Kelly, I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes! Thank you for the kind words. :) And that’s great news that the stew stilled turned out without those ingredients…I love when a recipe is versatile like that.

I made this on our camping trip– previously measured everything out, so all I had to do was add to the pot and let it cook over the campfire. I doubled the red lentils, and did not blend, so it ended up being a thick(er) stew. I also did not serve with rice or toppings. It was the perfect meal while we all sat around the campfire :) THANK YOU!

Tried the recipe. Delicious! I added less cumin and no cayenne pepper, so it is on the sweeter side. But to be honest – it is perfect for cold autumn nights at home. Thank you! Will make again! Where do I find your cookbooks ?

Hey Elena, I’m so happy you loved the lentil stew! Isn’t it so cozy this time of year? Most chain bookstores should carry my cookbooks, or you can find them on Amazon using the following links…. This is my first cookbook: https://ohsheglo.ws/c And this is my second one, if you’re curious: https://ohsheglo.ws/v Thank you so much for your support! :)

I just made this for my family and they loved it. I made it in my Instant Pot (6min Manual then 10 min natural release) to shorten the cook time. So delish! I will definitely make this again. Thank you!

Thanks so so much for this very comforting stew. Made it tonight and we all LOVED it! I used kale in place of the chard and didn’t add the sweet potato as I didn’t have one just more lentils and squash and all still turned out divine!

Wow, this was fantastic. I’m relatively new to cooking and a slow chopper, so it took me about an hour and a half to make this stew. Despite the time commitment, it was well worth it. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I first tried it. The flavors blend together beautifully; the texture is divine. I will definitely be making this again for my family. Maybe next time, I’ll buy a bag of pre-cut squash instead.

This is a great hearty recipe. Totally cozy and perfect for a (holiday) meal that you want to eat over the course of a few days. I doubled the recipe, added more greens to the pot at the end, and served basmati rice on the side. Delish! I think next time I make it I’ll add more green veggies and see how it turns out.

I love this stew! I have made this recipe about a half dozen times and a two of the times my lentils lost their skin and turned the stew a dark brown color. The flavor was still great but the color was very unappealing. Any ideas as to why this could have happened and tips to avoid this from happening in the future? thank you!

Hey Melissa, Hmm it sounds like you may be using green or brown lentils instead of red lentils? Generally red lentils don’t have lose skins (they more so just break down when cooked). I’m so glad you love the stew regardless! It’s a fave over here.

There is something wrong with your website. This page says there are should be 409 “comments” for this post over 7 pages, but I can only see the comments on page 1. When I click to see pages 2,3,4,5, and 6, I can see the number of comments that should be on the page, but none are actually shown. I found that this is not just an issue with this recipe… I had the same problem with your Red Lentil recipe. Please help.

Hey Kathleen, Oh no! Thanks so much for letting me know! I just checked and it’s happening for me too. We’re going to look into this and hopefully the fix will be easy. Thanks for your patience in the meantime :)

We loved this!! We were looking for a way to introduce Indian food (and Turmeric) into our diet without going ‘all in’. This is a beautiful, colorful, hearty dish. My husband would like more protein so he suggested adding more lentils or other beans (or smoked turkey sausage, which would defeat the vegetarian aspect!). It was a joy to watch and smell this stew coming together!

Hey Stephanie, I would sauté the aromatics first (to avoid them being crunchy in the final cooked dish) then I’d probably cook on low for 9 hours or so or high for 5-ish (all guesses!) you can add the greens during the last 1/2-1 hour cooking too

This was really lovely! I appreciate the curry feel with the nutritional benefits of all those healthy veggies. For the most part I followed the recipe exactly and it came out great. My supermarket didn’t have red lentils so I used green- next time I think I would double the amount (or try the red and see if it’s different). I also added a can of chickpeas in addition to the lentils and enjoyed it. I was a bit heavy handed with the spices and regret it because it’s a little too hot for me now- heed her spice warning!

I made this recipe for the first time when we had my brothers over and everyone gobbled it up! I made it again -doubled this time and sent to my mom who was sick with a cold and she said it was exactly what she needed👌🏻 The we had my husbands friend over and pulled this out of the fridge – he had seconds! so my double recipe was put to good use:) Made another double recipe this week and it’s been the perfect winter food to have around. Thanks Angela!

So good! I subbed a Tbsp of mild curry powder for the spices (still added the salt and pepper) and spinach as the green. I was so excited to eat it, I almost forgot the spinach! I also used a potato masher to smash up the sweet potato and squash a bit to thicken.